Taking down a willow

[cinari]

I need to take down this willow, but I don't feel comfortable felling it as is. The trunk is 40" in diameter. There are four main limbs that split out from the trunk at about 6' from the ground. The canopy is a lot wider than what you can see in this photo.

My saw is 18". I'd have to rent one for the trunk, but my saw should be fine for the rest. The tree can fall anywhere within its reach and will not damage anything.

I would appreciate any advice on taking this down safely. I realize that I could hire someone, but I'd like to do it myself.

 

[Jason Douglas]

Kill it with fire.

 

[ATH]

...... The tree can fall anywhere within its reach and will not damage anything.
......

#1, I'm pretty sure that tree when falling if you just drop it whole will cause pretty significant damage to either:
Road
Sidewalk
Driveway

#2 Every State and municipality is different...but around here, that tree belongs to the city as it is between the street and sidewalk. That means (A) you need their permission to remove it - and you might not get that permission if it is not causing real problems or threatening to cause them. (B) If it is hazardous, they are responsible for removing it/mitigating that hazard. Better check with your local ordinances first!

 

[arathol]

As a long time govt/municipal employee / supervisor, I will say that if you cut that down on your own you could be in serious trouble. Any damage to the sidewalk or the roadway is on you. You will probably face penalties for removing the tree as it is in the right of way, not on your property. This can include both punitive statutory based fines and replacement cost of the tree. You really don't want to know what it would cost to replace that tree. We had a guy who cut down some trees so his billboard was visible from a nearby highway. By the time he fixed everything and replaced the trees the damage was almost $500k.
Call the town or county or whoever is responsible for maintaining the roadway, have them send their arborist or landscape engineer out to take a look.

Why do you want to remove the tree?

 

[AGoodSteward]

It appears to be encroaching on the sidewalk[pic]. Around here(where we stihl enjoy our God given liberty) that'd be your responsibility.

That said, don't do anything you don't KNOW you can do. Sorry, but no advise from the internet can make that a safe situation.

 

[BC WetCoast]

Around here, city tree and city sidewalk. City deals with the problem.

 

[cinari]

Thank you, gentlemen.

The previous homeowner planted this tree. I agree that generally this would be considered on city property. City replaced the sidewalk last year due to significant damage from the roots. They cut those roots, but it's still a messy tree, and the neighbors hate it.

I would most definitely not drop it whole, or at all if I don't feel comfortable. I like the idea of having the city take care of it though. I just didn't think of it since the previous owner planted it.

Thanks again.

 

[Mustang71]

I know is the suburbs a ways away from my house they were taking down big dieing trees by the road like urs and replacing them with small new trees.

 

[ATH]

It appears to be encroaching on the sidewalk[pic]. Around here(where we stihl enjoy our God given liberty) that'd be your responsibility.
....

that sounds cute and all....Is it OK if you take down street lamps that shine too bright into bedroom windows or stop signs that slow down your trip to work?

City property is city property...

 

[JeffGu]

I realize that I could hire someone, but I'd like to do it myself.

That's an understandable feeling... but not an especially well thought out one. I wouldn't mind having a skyscraper on a piece of property I own, but I don't have the equipment, money or expertise to build one.
There are a lot of equipment and expertise requirements involved with tree removals in urban environments. You might want to call up a couple of tree service companies and ask them if you can observe their work (from a safe distance) to see how it's done. Perhaps even approach them at the end of the job and ask about how much each piece of equipment they use cost them, and how long it took them to get proficient at using the equipment.

Are you prepared to invest the time and money necessary to learn how to get up into that tree to dismantle it? Lumberjacking operations aren't done on city right-of-way property for good reasons. It takes a lot more equipment than a chainsaw to safely remove a tree that size. Attempting to dismantle it with nothing but a ladder and a saw is an invitation for disaster, with personal injury or death being about equally as likely as actually succeeding at the job.

If you really want to attempt this, at the very least you need to make friends with a working arborist that is willing to help you out. Anything you pay him will be money well spent, and a great learning experience. Tree work is currently the most dangerous occupation in the country, mostly because emergency services like law enforcement and fire/rescue have steadily become safer (and lots more expensive) with better equipment and training. Our industry is also improving in this regard... but trees are extremely unpredictable at times.

 

[67L36Driver]

Under the definition of 'trash tree' is a picture of a willow.[emoji6]

 

[Zale]

You're going to have a lot of brush to deal with. Call the city and save yourself a lot of aggravation.

 

[AGoodSteward]

that sounds cute and all....Is it OK if you take down street lamps that shine too bright into bedroom windows or stop signs that slow down your trip to work?

City property is city property...

Here the city does not own trees planted in the boulevards. Even the thousands of ash, elm, and locust the city planted in the 80s belong to the home they are in front of. No permission required (unless felled into the street)

 

[ATH]

Interesting. That is why I suggested the OP figure that out before doing anything. Every locale can be different...even within a city. The location of the sidewalk probably doesn't define the ROW in most places...but rather the sidewalk's location is placed according to the existing ROW. I know here, there are areas where, when the streets were widened, they shifted one way more than others, so the ROW is at street edge on one side of the road and halfway into the yard of the other side (or what they assume to be their own yard). Other places, there is presently a 2 lane road, but when the neighborhood was platted, they drew in a ROW to make room for a 4 lane, so people may not even realize, it is "fair game" to loose 15' off of the front of their yard if the road goes to 4 lane. And that doesn't even account for eminent domain!

 

[BC WetCoast]

Around here all street right of way's are 66'. The property line can quickly be determined by the location of the water shut (or meter) as that is usually put within a few inches of the property line.

It varies by municipality, but the ones we do most of our work on, it the tree touches the property line (99% on private) then it is a city tree. The homeowner can request the city remove it with sufficient reason. Need to hire a consulting arborist who has the proper lingo.